Coupling



(No Model.)

W. S. WARD.

WHIFFLETREE COUPLING.

Patented June 16, 1885.

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NiTn STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

WILLIAM S. \VARD, OF PLANTSVILLE, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO H. D. SMITH &CO., OF SAME PLACE.

WHiFFLETREE-COUPLING.

EPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 320,313, dated June 161885.

Application filed April 13, 1885.

T aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLLUI S. \VARD, of Plantsville, in the county ofHartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain 5 newImprovements in \Vhifllctree-Couplings; and I do hereby declare thefollowing, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings, and theletters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of 1 the same, and which said drawings constitute part ofthis specification, and represent, in Figure l, a rear view of thewhiifletree bar and plate, showing the coupling; Fig. 2, a

vertical central section through the coupling, showing the bolt; Fig. 3,an under side view of the plate attached to the whiffletree; Fig. 4, atop view of the socket attached to the whiiiletree-bar, broken linesindicating the method of applying the whiltletree to the bar.

This invention relates to the device by which a whiffletree is coupledto the whiifletreebar of a carriage, the object being the constructionof the coupling so that the whiffletree may be readily detached orapplied as occasion may require, and at the same time form an easy butanti-rattlingjoint upon which the whi'ffletree may play; and theinvention consists in the construction, as hereinafter described, andmore particularly recited in the claims.

A represents the whilfletree, B the whilfletree-bar.

On the whiffletreebar the socket C is so cured. This socket is a plateof metal having a central, preferably angular, opening, a, through it,and surrounding this opening a is a recess, Z). A flange, (1, around thecentral opening, extends above the upper plane of the socket, and fromone side of the socket, say, 0 the rear, is a horizontally-projectingflange, D. Into the recess 1) a ring of india-rubber or other suitablespring, 6, is applied, and pre ferably upon this spring a thin metalwasher, f, is arranged, as seen in Fig 2.

On the whiflietree A a plate, E, is fixed, corresponding to the socket,and as seen in Fig. 3. Centrally through the plate is an opening, it,corresponding to the flange (1 surrounding the central opening throughthe socket, and so that the flange on the socket may enter the openingin the plate, as seen in (X0 model.)

Fig. 2. In the whifl'letrce, above the opening in the plate, a recess,Z, is formed.

F is the whit'lletreebolt. This bolt has a head, m, and its neck n is ofangular shape, corresponding to the angular opening a in the socket.before the plate E is fixed to the whiflietree, with its head in therecess Z in the whifl'letree, and as seen in Fig. 2. An opening is madethrough the whifl'letree-bar corresponding to the opening in the socket,and through which the bolt extends. The lower end of the bolt isscrew-threaded, and upon this screw-thread a nut, G, is applied. Fromthe plate E ahookshaped extension is made, say to the rear,corresponding to the flange D on the socket, and so that when settogether, as seen in Fig. 2, the hook-shaped projection on the plate Ewill engage with the flange D of the socket, as seen in Fig. 2.

The whiftletrce is applied by turning it to nearly right angles to thewhillletree-bar, and so that the hooked projection H may pass down toone side of the socket. Then when the hooked portion has arrived intothe plane of the flange D the whifl'letree is turned to take the hookportion H into engagement with the flange D.

The extent of the flange D is sufficient to prevent the ordinary workingol'the whilfletrec from taking the hook out of engagement with theflange. The flanged on the socket, there fore, forms a central bearingon which the whiffletree may oscillate, while the flange D prevents thewhiflletree from being lifted from its position on the socket. At thesame time the bolt F draws the whillletree down upon the spring in thesocket with suflicient force to prevent rattling, but not to interferewith the proper working of the whilfletree.

No strain comes upon the bolt other than that induced by the pressureupon the spring, the draft being taken entirely by the socket on the onepart and plate on the other.

This coupling is applied by simply boring a hole through the one partfor the bolt and a recess for the head of the bolt in the other part,the plate and the socket each being secured to its respective partindependent of the bolt, as indicated in Figs. 3 and at.

Instead of applying the bolt with its head It is introduced through theplate E in a recess in the whiffletree, it may be passed through thewhiflietree with its head on the top of the whiifletree, in the usualmanner of whiffletreebolts; but I prefer to arrange the head as I havefirst described.

I am aware that whiffietree-couplings have been constructed in twoparts, the one with a recess and the other with acorrespondingtrunnion-like projection to enter the said recess and forma bearing on which the plates may turn, the trunnion adapted tointerlock with the recess; but I make no claim to such construction.

I claim 1. The combination of the socket 0, constructed with a centralopening through it, flange (Z around said opening extending above theplane of the plate, and also constructed with a recess, I), around saidopening, and also constructed with a flange, D, extending from one sidein a horizontal plane, the said socket being adapted to be attached tothe one part, with the plate E constructed for attachmeat to the otherpart, and with a central opening, h, corresponding to the flange d inthe socket, and with a hook-shaped extension, H, corresponding to theflange D on the sock et, a spring in the recess on the socket on whichsaid plate will bear, and a bolt adapted to bind said plate upon thesocket, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the socket 0, constructed for attachment to theWhiffletreebar and with a central opening, a, and with a flange,d,around said opening projecting above the plane of the socket, and with arecess, b, around said opening, and also withv a flange, D, projectingfrom the socket in a horizontal plane, the plate E, constructed forattachment to the whiffletree, and witha hook-shaped projeetion, H,corresponding to the flange D on the socket, and with a central opening,h, corresponding to the flange around the opening in the socket, aspring in said recess upon which said plate will bear, the bolt F,having its head adapted to bear upon the said plate, its neck of shapecorresponding to the opening in the socket and adapted to pass throughthe.

WVILLIAM S. WARD.

Witnesses:

JOHN E. EARLE, J os. O. EARLE.

